An American Witch At Hogwarts
by Elvish Crystal
Summary: Courtney is a runaway from her American home. After catching some advice she decides to take her chances at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is her adventure during her first year. Chapters with NR are not required!
1. Default Chapter

_**Author's Note: I'm sorry for any confusion that this might cause. It's just that an idea has been itching in the back of my mind and I had to type it and put it up. This story can be read with or without this intro. I really don't care which you choose. I just thought that this added a nice twist to it. I will have chapters marked that you can skip incase you don't want to read this style of telling the story. Thank you for reviews and your time!**_

_**So you know - an example is this intro. Title reads: Intro NR**_

**_NR means Not Required, so it is not important to the story line. _**

_**Thanks Again!**_

Magical Places Studies

The bell sounded through the calls, echoing off the solid stone walls. Three students rushed down a hall and turned a corner.

"Ah!" the young girl shouted as she skidded across a fairly slippery part of the walkway. The two boys with her came to an abrupt halt. One boy, with long black hair that was incredibly tall, rolled his eyes as he gazed back. The other boy smirked and swapped a look with his friend.

"Come on Lucy! We are already late for Magical Places Studies! This is no time to be lying around!" The boys helped the red haired girl to her feet.

She brushed herself off quickly before gathering her bag. "I'm not trying to be late! Not like the stupid class is worth anything anyway. We have never learned anything interesting in there."

The trio continued their dash to the end of the hallway. They opened the door to find the classroom full of chattering students, but empty of a teacher. They smiled at each other, a sense of triumph in each of them.

"See, still no teacher. We are awesome!" the girl shouted with excitement.

"That is if you had not been caught by the teacher before you entered the classroom." The three spun around. A woman with jet black hair stood behind them. A black very uniform-looking robe was draped around her form, and her hair was pulled back into a neat bun. She glanced at the three student with raised eyebrows. "Well? In you go."

Lucy and her friends filed in and took a seat in the middle next to each other. Their heads slightly hung in defeat.

"Welcome class, to your first day to Magical Places Studies. I am Professor Weinstein and I must say that I am honored to be teaching you this year. I ask only several things from you. First, I ask that you respect me and I shall, therefore, respect you. That means coming to class on time."

All eyes shifted to the trio that came in just before their teacher. All three of them were bright red with embarrassment.

"We, wont make a big deal about it on the first day. Or, on the second, but I do want you all to make an effort to get here on time. Second, I want everyone to put their best effort into this class. It might seem boring at first but it will gradually get better, promise. Thirdly...there really is no third thing that I can think of right now." The class laughed as their teacher shrugged and waved a hand to dismiss her thoughts.

"Now, our first subject of interest, and probably the most time consuming, will be the study of a not so widely known person. In fact, some say that this person did not even exist. Any guesses?"

Several students raised their hands. She picked on a chubby, blonde-haired girl with red robes. "Is it a person who used to work for the Ministry?"

The young woman shook her head, "no, this person did not. Umm... yes, Mister Stevens."

"Is it someone who worked for the Dark Lord?" There was a light chatter that filled the classroom. Eyes searched the teacher with hope, and full of anticipation.

A small grin spread across the woman's pale face. "That is a good question, indeed. Some say that she did work for the Dark Lord behind the Light Side's back," more chatter filled the room. Students excitedly swapped thoughts of who it might be. "But, we will get into that later. Anyone else, or shall I just tell you all now?"

No other hands went up, she took this as an indicator to proceed. "Alright, before we learn about this individual and what they did, we need to first learn some background on where they lived." Several groans filled the air. Students began to whisper to each other and give disappointed looks to the head of the classroom.

"Oh, come now! It is only a quick review. I'm sure you have all heard of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She smirked. The whole of the classroom went dead silent. A pin could be heard in the deafening silence if dropped. "Ah ha, I thought I would get your attention. Yes, the magnificent school of ancient times. It has stood for over 1,100 years. It was called home to many students that one day grew to impact the wizarding world greatly. Please turn to page 388 in your text books, and we shall begin."

She glanced up from her own copy of the book. All students waited eagerly. She read:

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy _

_A school founded over 1,100 years ago by the greatest witches and wizards of the age. Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Godrick Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin. These founders taught at the school for many years and gave their names to the school's four houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. _

_Hogwarts was built to withstand great attacks. There are many charms that were placed on the great castle to protect its occupants from invasion or potential harm. Several traps are set up around the school to stop intruders, as well as nosy students._

"This is the basic background about Hogwarts School. Now, the headmaster at the time of this individual's schooling is said to be Albus Dumbledore."

"Wait,_ the_ Albus Dumbledore?"a girl with short brown hair and tan skin asked from the front row.

She nodded, "yes,_ the_ Albus Dumbledore. Thought by some to be the greatest wizard of all time. That is besides Merlin, but he certainly gave him a run for his gallions. Also, this individual was said to go to school with none other than the great boy-who-lived. Or so legend says."

The class erupted into loud chatter. A few students raised their hands, some looked about excitedly, and some rolled their eyes at the uproar.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, please. Now do I have any guesses on who this person is?" A few students took wild guesses but were turned down each time. "No one?" she asked when they had finally given up guessing. "The Guardian."

If someone had walked by outside the class they might have thought no one was in the classroom. The students glanced at each other. Silent whispers were shared between a few.

The young woman shook her head."Don't tell me that none of you have ever heard of the Guardian. How many have?" A wave of relief spread over her as the entire class silently raised their hands. "Well, then what's the problem?"

"Well, Professor, that is just a story. It's not true. It's just a myth." The class made a voiced agreement.

"Just a myth? It could just be a myth, yes. But, perhaps, it is possible that such a being did live in the wizarding world, right?"

"Why are you going to teach us about a person from a child's bedtime story?" a blonde girl rolled her eyes in disgust.

"It may just be a story, Miss Buckley, but I am hired to teach you about history. So, forgive me if I try to make it interesting for a change."

The class laughed as the blonde scoffed and sank into her seat more.

"I was going to have us read the very short summary of the Guardian in the text books, but I did not think that it did justice to the subject. So, I found a book about the Guardian. Some person obviously thinks that they know enough about the Guardian to publish a book. I will be reading to you from it." She walked to the back of her desk and opened a drawer. A maroon colored book with gold letters was produced. On the front it read: 'Guardian of the Boy-Who-Lived'.

She took a seat in a fluffy armchair and opened the book. "Now, let's begin..."

_**Yes, now you read the next chapter and get the full nifty effect! Whee! I hope my idea works for this story. If not you will know (I will delete the NR chapters). Please review for the NR chapter if you read them. I really need to know how you like my idea and if you think it will work. Thank you lots!**_


	2. A New Beginning

__

**_Author's Note: The first chapter of Courtney's first year. Wheee! I hope you like this chapter. And it has the same disclaimer as my other story... I don't own Harry Potter or any part of it. Courtney is my character though! _**

I'm sorry for any confusion that this might cause. It's just that an idea has been itching in the back of my mind and I had to type it and put it up. This story can be read with or without this intro. I really don't care which you choose. I just thought that this added a nice twist to it. I will have chapters marked that you can skip incase you don't want to read this style of telling the story. Thank you for reviews and your time!

So you all know -> NR means Not Required, so it is not important to the story line. So you do not have to read it.

Thanks Again!

Enjoy!

**A New Beginning**

Her black cloak billowed behind her as she entered the huge castle. It had an enormous window of different colors on the opposite wall with many stairs leading up to it as you entered. She was immediately filled with a welcoming warmth that surrounded the room. The sound of conversation reached her ears from somewhere. As she walked forward, into the center of the room, she was hypnotized by the beautiful window.

The chattering suddenly stopped. She was released from her trance. Looking to her right, through the darkness, there was a great room filled with many people. Of all ages it seemed as well.

Her mind raced with panic. She was not suppose to be seen.

An elderly man stood at the very back of the room, he motioned for her to come into the room. "You're late, dinner has already started. But I assure you there is plenty to eat still. Everyone," he waved a hand to the many younger people who sat at long wooden tables, "this is one of our new professors. Please welcome him." The man wore a big smile as he continued to motion her forward.

He had obviously mistaken her for someone else.

When she didn't move a few more teachers stood up. She thought they were since he had called her a professor and asked her to join the head table. Another man got to his feet slowly. He wore all black and had long black hair. Next to him, still seated, was an older looking woman.

They all had no idea what was going on. They had no idea that she had just walked into their school without an invitation. If they did find out what would they do?

All eyes were on her. In a state of panic she ran up the long stairs in front of her. She did not stop even when she heard the man shout, "stop! Where are you going?" Another voice followed his. "Students, sit down!"

There were only so many doors and hallways to travel through for her escape. Though some looked more promising she chose the closest door. She flung the door open. She stood in shock. It was a room that was not very large in area but it had height. Above her thousands of stairs made their way from one side of the room to the other. He grey eyes widened as a few at the top part released from there spot to shift to other sides.

"Wow, that must of taken a buttload of money..." she trailed off in awe.

The sound of more than one pair of footsteps brought her back to her senses. "I think he went this way."

Filled with a new burst of energy she sprinted up another flight of stairs. "No, don't catch me!" she said to herself. She ran up another three flights of stairs and was about to ascend another when it began to move. "Just peachy!"

The foot steps were getting closer. Peering of the railing she saw that the five pursers were only three flights down. Having no other direction to go she backed a few steps and prepared her body for pain. Whether it be from a very long fall or a screwed up landing.

"No, stop!" a man shouted frantically. It was too late. She leaped across the four foot gap to the moving stairs. Catching the stair's edge with her upper body, while her lower half dangled below. A woman's shriek echoed through the large room.

Not wanting to see what would happen if the stairs did not stop before she moved, she crawled up with little difficulty. The stairs slammed into place on the opposite side of the room, she winced. That really would have hurt. With a glance back and a satisfied smile, she continued her escape.

Panting hard she opened the closest door. Eerie darkness greeted her, but she couldn't care less at the moment. Cautiously she entered the room in search of a place to hide or run to.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed as she stubbed her toe on a stone statue. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she found that the entire room held many statues and sculptures. Many different colored vases sat on top of little stone pillars, each with its own unique design._ Is this a school for the arts, _she thought to herself. She passed a red vase that had a silver ferocious looking beast on it with red eyes. "Creepy," she whispered.

A whitish gleam caught her eye. She had to squint against its brightness to see what it was exactly. It was an open window. It was the outside world! "Light means outside and outside means good!"

A click from behind made her spin in place. Her pursuers had finally found her room. Though there were only four this time.

"Must have fallen behind." A smile spread across her face as she broke into a run. Suddenly the light ahead of her was blocked. A faint outline of a tall man stood ten feet in front of her. She came to a halt. The man ran at her extending something in front of him.

He immediate thought was a knife._ I'm not getting caught now, I'm so close. _

She believed that the man was ultimately surprised at her sudden rush at him for he froze. Though he was a fully grown man and she was only ten, she had very little trouble knocking him to the ground. Of course, an elbow in the stomach at a high speed could knock a lot of people down.

A pain shot through her right elbow as she pushed herself from the cold stone floor. There was no time to hesitate, she was ready to make another run. With all her energy she lurched forward, but something was holding her back. She glanced down at the man. He was sneering at her, holding her wrist in a tight grip. No matter how hard she struggled she could not break free from his painful grip.

It only took moments for him to get to his feet and reach for her other hand. Unfortunately for him she was quick. Her aim was quite good as her fist collided with his left cheek. A groan of pain escaped his throat at the same time loosening his grip. She released herself with a rough pull.

"I'm really sorry 'bout that," she mumbled before sprinting towards the light. Her spirit rose as the window drew closer. She was going to make it. She knew it was a bad idea to come here in the first place. This just proved it. A pain erupted on the back on her head. The light faded slowly in front of her. She fell to the ground hitting it with a sickening thump and lay motionless.

"I do apologize for that. Not sincerely, though." The man rubbed his left cheek where he sported a new forming bruise.

The footsteps stopped at the black heap that lay on the floor. All of the adults were panting heavily.

"You didn't kill him, did you Severus?" asked the older woman when she had collected herself.

"No, he is just knocked out. Serves him right if he has memory loss." He looked at the other faces before adding, "I didn't hit him too hard with it. He will be fine." Half of a purple vase was still in his hand.

The elderly man bent down over the black heap and flipped it over. He was shocked when he realized it was only a child. She had long dark brown hair that passed her shoulders. The hair framed a pale, kind looking face.

"Our intruder is not who we thought it was."

"Well Albus, it certainly was not the fill-in teacher if that is what you were hoping for," Severus said crossing his arms in front of his chest , taking on a irritated look.

"I don't believe we were in as much danger as we all thought." The old man lifted up the child and turned to the rest of the group.

"What do you mean, Albus?" The old woman looked concerned at his statement. Noticing the girl a look of horror spread across her face. "Severus!" she immediately turned on the young man. "You attacked a child! Of all the things!"

Severus ignored her scolds and turned to the old man. "Headmaster, I thought it was-"

"Severus, we all thought it was someone dangerous. I, nor anyone else, can or will hold you accountable for this." His words silenced the old woman. Her lips squeezed together in a sour look. "We need to make certain that she is alright, though. Severus, will you accompany me to the hospital wing?"

"Of course, Headmaster," Severus hesitated before adding, "shall I take her?" He held out his hands.

"No, Severus, I have her." The man looked at the girl in his arms. A stream of blood ran down the side of her face. There was a cut on here head that was hopefully not too serious. "Will the rest of you please return to the feast. Tell the students not to worry and continue dinner. I will join you shortly." The other teachers nodded, all wearing frowns of concern or disbelief.

The hospital was empty when they arrived. "Poppy, we have a student that needs tending to." The young nurse rushed over to the two men and examined the girl in the man's arms. She looked at both the men with a sour expression.

"Already a patient that is seriously injured. Set her over on that bed. It is a bit early in the year to have such accidents. Don't you agree, Professor Dumbledore?" She momentarily glanced away from her stash of potions to see both of the men's reaction.

"Indeed, poppy," was all Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. He turned to the younger man when the nurse had continued her business. "You man return to the feast Severus. I will return in a moment."

Severus nodded sulkily. He turned and headed for the door without a word.

"Oh, and Severus."

Severus stopped to turn and face the older man. "Yes, Headmaster?"

"Don't blame yourself for this. Any of us would have done the same." He pondered his last statement, as he rubbed his beard. "Though I'm not sure a vase would have been my first choice."

Severus scowled, but nodded. Leaving the hospital he closed the doors behind him. He cursed to himself. He was not looking forward to informing the girl's parents that he had hit their daughter over the head with a pot.

_**Yep. Here it is! The first chapter of the first year. I told you I would eventually get it up! I hoped you enjoyed it so far. Please review and do all that nifty stuff. Like comments, questions, suggestions for future chapters, etc. I LOVE YOU ALL!**_


	3. Questions and Worries

**_Finally! The next chapter! I am sorry it took so long. School and everything. I love you my darling reviewers! Please do continue to review! I thank you!_**

**_Now, to the chapter!..._**

**Questions and Worries**

A dull ache came from the rear of her head and her head pounded painfully. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. As her vision corrected itself she found that she was in a too-white room. White high walls rose up on the opposite side to meet the dark-wood ceiling. There were several white beds with white sheets and pillows that lined the other wall. She groaned. There was only one place she could think of that would be decorated in such a horrible fashion. The hospital. Though, it did not seem all that much like any hospital she had ever been in.

She hated hospitals. Actually, she thought that they made her even more sick. She blinked rapidly as the world in front of her started to move on its own. She moaned and closed her eyes, resting a hand on her head. _This is just wonderful! I have no clue where I am at and why I am here. Did I get in an accident at sometime? No, that can't be right..._

Then it hit her. Her wonderful attempt to get herself in the castle... then her even more brilliant attempt of getting out of it. The chase, the people and their weird clothes they wore, and the weird rooms. _Oy! I really screwed up this time._

"How are you feeling, Miss..." She jumped and sat up. She backed away from the person, her head pounding even more. An old man sat at her bedside. A long, silver beard hung down from his face and two blue twinkling eyes looked at her. He, for some reason, wore a very pleasant smile. "Now, don't worry. You are fine here. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Headmaster Dumbledore," he held out a hand to her.

She slowly eyed the man's face then his extended hand. Not moving any closer, she reached out her hand into his. His smile widened, "what is your name?" His eyes were gentle and showed no signs of anger. "Courtney Simmons."

Dumbledore nodded his head, "I see. Now, may I ask you a few more questions, Miss Simmons?"

_This is odd... why isn't he angry with me? Or, maybe, he is but he is just waiting for the right moment._ She thought it rather odd that the old man would not be yelling at her and punishing her for breaking into the castle. Then again, she was not sure exactly where she was. She might not be in that castle anymore. Maybe the man from the castle just looked incredibly like this man. But how many people in England had beards _that_ long?

"Sure, I don't see why not." Of course, she really was not up to answering any questions but it was better than being sent to prison just yet.

"Wonderful. Could you tell me where you are from?" he suddenly took on a serious look. She knew he meant business. He was there to interrogate her.

"I am from..." she contemplated whether she should tell the man the truth. What would he do? _Probably send me back, that's what._

He interrupted her thoughts, "I am just curious, Miss Simmons. This is not a test." He smiled at her again.

She vaguely wondered if he knew how to read minds. She laughed at herself mentally. _There was no possible way he could do that... heh... that is like saying he knew magic. _"I am from America. The southern part of Illinois, actually." Her eyes widened. How could she have just given that much information away! She had not meant to give him that much leeway. Now he really knew where to send her!

"Ah, American are you? Well, that brings me to my next question. Why are you here in England?"

She shifted a little uneasily. Her dirty-white shoelaces seemed to be extra interesting at the moment. _This is just peachy! Why did I have to come here of all places? I could have been free, but no! I had to come up with the stupid idea that someone might help me here. Idiot! _The old man cleared his throat. She glanced up to find that his face had hardened. She, again, had the sickening feeling that he had somehow penetrated into her mind and already knew the answer.

"I ran away, sir. But please don't send me back, I really don't want to go back! I could work here... for free, and no one would even know I existed! Honestly, sir, I-"

He raised a hand in front of her face. She became immediately quiet. "You ran away? I suppose you think you had a reason to." She snorted at his statement. He gave a small chuckle. "However, I don't suppose you would be able to share that little bit with me, would you?"

She sat up straight and crossed her arms over her chest. "I have a reason that I left, yes. I am unable to discuss it with you, though."

Dumbledore nodded, "as I expected. Is there any reason that you came to Hog-...this place? Why did you not go to some other place?"

She eyed the man before opening her mouth. "This place," she gestured to the room, "isn't this Hogwarts?"

"Why, yes it is. Have you heard of Hogwarts before, Miss Simmons?"

"I heard some people talking about a place called Hogwarts at a train station. I've heard my parents talking about it before. I don't know much about it."

Dumbledore looked at the girl. _She had heard from some people at the train station? No doubt they were wizards. Her parents must be wizards as well if they have talked about Hogwarts. _He shifted in his seat. He looked at the opposite wall as he pulled at his long beard. He tried to picture past students that looked similar to her. He shook his head. Too many faces swept into his mind, some more reliable then others. He had had many years at Hogwarts, consisting of many students. It was impossible to figure it out by his memory... A thought clicked in his mind. His blue eyes landed on the girl once more. _My memory, maybe, but what about..._

"Why were your parents talking about Hogwarts? Do you have any idea?" He continued to ask her questions.

She shrugged before adding, "they had received a letter for me and it started a fight. I don't know. They would not allow me to read it."

His blue eyes searched the young face. She had received a letter from Hogwarts? Perhaps she had gotten a letter from a different wizarding school, but Hogwarts had come into the discussion.

"Are you able to tell me who your parents are?"

"Peter and Mary Simmons, sir."

He nodded thoughtfully. The names did not register anything in his mind. Infact, though he was old, he was certain that he had never heard of them before. A look in his memory book would tell him whether he was right in believing that they had never attended Hogwarts, or if they had.

"Now child, have you ever heard of a wizarding school?"

She bit her bottom lip as she concentrated on the question. She shook her head after a moment. "I have heard of wizards in books and movies. I do not think I have ever heard of a wizard going to school. Besides, they are just make-believe."

A wide, pleasant smile spread across his face at her words. How many times had he heard that inside the walls of Hogwarts? It was certainly a first. His eyes twinkled as he leaned forward, motioning her to come closer. She slowly leaned towards the old man. "My dear," he whispered, "this is a wizard school."

He chuckled as her eyes widened in disbelief. Her small mouth hung open, gawking at the man. There was a pause before she tilted her head and her eyes narrowed. "I might be young but don't think that I am stupid, and gullible."

He watched as she leaned back, her arms crossed over her chest again. Her face no longer looked young and innocent. Had he lost her trust... had he ever had it? "I do not lie to you, Miss Simmons. I will show you." With that he pulled out his wand from his robes. With a wave of the wooden stick and a few words a purple light hoovered by the bed. Within seconds a vase of yellow flowers appeared at the foot of the bed.

"Holy..." she gasped, examining the flowers. She caught herself with a sheepish grin.

The old man picked up the vase and smelled the beautiful flowers. He flashed a small smile at her. "Magic, Miss Simmons, is what we teach here at Hogwarts. The students here are unique. More so, perhaps, than any person you know. There are Wizard schools in America." He set the vase down on the side table. Adjusting the flowers a little, he turned to her again. "I am, however, still curious as to why you did not stay in America. Or did Europe just appeal to your tastes?"

Her hazel eyes still watched the yellow flowers as she talked to the man. They held her attention like a magnet. They almost seemed to have a glowing touch to them. "My parents had spoken of a relative that lives in Europe. I don't have any other relatives in the States, so I thought maybe I would come and live here after my parents-" She jumped, catching herself. She was in such a daze that she almost told him. He had been watching her expectantly as she spoke. His face fell as she stopped and turned to look at him.

"Ah... a relative? Perhaps there is something I can do to assist you in finding this relation of yours," he placed a worn hand on top of her comfortingly. He looked from her face to what seemed the floor in front of him. A few incoherent words were mumbled.

She removed her hand from his. His head snapped up to look at her. His hand lingered in the air before he drew it to himself. His eyes no longer had the joyful gleam to them. They seemed to be engulfed in something dark and troubling. His face looked even more worn then before. He nodded to himself. "You are more than welcome to stay here child. I will do all I can to help you in your search."

Courtneyrelaxed a bit. "You mean I can learn magic like the rest of the students?"

He stood silently and nodded to her. His face did not lighten when she smiled up at him. "I will have a staff member purchase your things that you will need. When you feel that you are well enough, Madam Pomfrey will escort you to the Great Hall. You will be sorted into a house. That house will be like your family for the remainder of your stay. Until then, do get some rest. That nasty knot on your head is healing nicely but no doubt you will have a bruise."

Without another word the old man retreated through the large wooden doors. They clicked behind him quietly, leaving her alone in the large room. She sighed and laid down. She would need to rest, she was certainly not ready to get up yet. Pulling the blanket closer and snuggling up to the fluffy pillow she closed her eyes. It was almost too comfortable. "That's to be expected," she mumbled sarcastically to herself. After several days of sleeping at any place that was available, and usually very uncomfortable, the dramatic change would be awkward.

Dumbledore opened the doors of the Great Hall. He put a smile on as the entire hall stopped their noisy chatter and turned towards him. His calm presence seemed to wear off on the students as he walked past them toward the Head Table. Many of the staff looked at him with apprehension. Questions filled their gaze. He, however, did not hold their gaze as he sat in his usual seat.

Opening his arms, a cheery smile present, he said, "let the feast continue."

The feast did continue but the topic of discussion was focused on the black figure. Several were already making up rather unbelievable stories of what they had glimpsed of the "creature".

"I saw fangs! They had to be at least three inches in length!"

"Do you suppose that it was a vampire? Maybe it's a ghoul, or werewolf that transforms when it wants."

"It had a tail, I saw it! It was bushy and brown."

"I heard that one of the teachers got beat up by the beast!"

Severus had dismissed himself from the feast before the old man had returned. No doubt he was resting, or examining his new bruise. It was, of course, nothing a simple healing potion could not handle.

The feast ended soon enough. The students followed the prefects to the dormitories to get their beds. Many of the students were still chattering about the great chase that had occurred hours before. All of them looked rather exhausted and worn, their stomachs all full. Dumbledore smiled as they filed out.

"Albus, what are we going to do with the girl?" Professor McGonagall, transfigurations teacher and head of house for Gryffindor, asked leaning towards the older man.

"It has been taken care of. She will stay at Hogwart and learn with the other students. It is best that she stays. I will be sending her family a letter to inform them of her whereabouts." He looked at the confused and anxious faces. "Do not worry yourselves," he added with a smile.

The staff only nodded and walked away to their rooms. Though a smile was in its usual place, Albus Dumbledore was worried himself. What was he going to do with the child?

_She has to stay_, he thought to himself. The image passed through his mind again. Yes, he concluded, she would stay at Hogwarts. She was safe within the walls.

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am really sorry it took soooo long. It is the end of the year and teachers try to shove as many assignments in the student's face before handing them an exam... I have had this done (believe it or not) I just did not have time to post it. Yeah, I've been that busy! I loves you all! Thank you for the reviews! You make me incredibly happy! Oh and for a side note- - Her last name is from one of my favorite singers - Gene Simmons!**_


	4. Getting Started

_**The THIRD chapter of my story. I am very pleased with it if I do say so myself. I will probably change my mind though... Anywho, hope you like it!**_

_**Getting Started**_

An ungodly loud creak echoed through the hospital wing as the large doors opened. The sound seemed to be magnified by twenty times. Against her better judgment Courtney opened an eye a sliver. Orange sunlight was pouring in through the large windows. It almost blinded her but she closed her eye quickly, stuffing her face further into the over-stuffed pillow. This was all too much. Or it could be that it was only six thirty in the morning.

"Still asleep, is she?" A voice whispered to the room.

"Yes, has been sleeping like a rock, that one. Of course it is still early, Albus. Maybe in another hour?"

She did not know that the nurse was already up and about doing checks. People who were already up this early and working certainly were dedicated to their jobs. Or just entirely insane. More of the latter if you asked her. This thought brought more guilt into her stomach.

_If they're up, then you should be up too, _said a nagging voice in the back of her head. With all the energy she had, which was not much considering the time of day, she lifted herself up into a sitting position. Eyes heavy and her mouth had a bitter texture to it, dry. Every bone in her body seemed to be protesting this unthinkable act. She groaned loudly.

The old man stopped in his retreat towards the doors. Slowly he turned to face her. His face was lit with happiness and seemed just as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as he had the day before. She hated people that could get up so early and be so cheery. It was, in her mind, the most annoying thing ever. Well, besides some T.V. shows.

"I see that you are up, Miss Simmons." With out hesitating he walked towards her bed. Taking out his wand he drew a chair in midair, which did indeed turn into a solid chair within seconds. It banged down on the hard floor and he sat before her.

"Yep…"she trailed off, looking around the room. The nurse was busy hustling around checking the many cupboards that held little vials. Each vial had a liquid in it, many bright colors that she supposed were not edible.

"Like I had said before, you are going to start learning at Hogwarts. Doing so means that you will abide by the rules of this school. You will respect the staff, and students equally. Being allowed into Hogwarts means that you will now be learning special skills that normal people would not be learning. Our world is entirely different from the one you grew up in, and so are the people, in a sense. Therefore, you must never tell any muggle, non-magic people," he clarified upon her confused look, "about Hogwarts, anything you learn here, or the wizard world. Do you understand what I have just told you?"

He waited for her nod. With a smile he clapped his hands together, causing her to jump. Apparently she was not entirely awake. "Now, you will need all the school supplies." Reaching his hand inside his deep purple robes he pulled out a piece of yellowish paper. "Read this, Miss Simmons."

Taking the paper from him she looked over the contents.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of _WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags

COURSE **BOOKS**

All students should have a **copy** of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

by Miranda Goshawk

_A **History** of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

by Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them_

by New Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard sized 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a **cat** OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THE FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Her mouth hung open for a moment as she reread the letter. Never -ever- did she expect magic to be this complicated. Well this school was very much out of her abilities, not to mention her budget. With a heavy heart she handed back the letter.

"Not what you had hoped?" He asked taking back the letter.

"No, no, it sounds wonderful, but… Sir, if you haven't noticed, I have pretty much zero money. I thank you for at least trying, I have neither the knowledge or money to come to this school." At the disappointed look on his face she added, "sorry, wish I could."

Just then the doors opened again and in walked a older woman in a pointed black hat. She did not look quite as old as the man in front of her. In her arms she carried an assortment of objects, slowly making her way to the bed. A large round looking pot held many leather bound books and a set of glass vials. She gave the old man a nod and he smiled back.

I forgot to mention that the school has money set aside for those students who wish to attend but are unable to do so because of money issues. I have already sent Professor McGonagall out to collect your things. That is if you change your mind and wish to stay.?

"I…um…" Courtney stuttered looking confused.

"Of course the fund only goes so much. The items may be secondhand but I'm sure they will suit you just fine."

The woman cleared her throat loudly. Dumbledore looked from the young girl to his Professor. "I am not so sure this will do, Albus." She held up a black robe and shirt. They looked rather large even from where Courtney sat. She wondered just how funny she would look in them.

A simple charm will take care of that, Minerva. As the letter said, you are to wear your uniform during the class days. After your final class you are free to wear whatever you wish." He stopped to rethink his statement. "I don't suggest running around in the nude, however." He gave a small chuckle when her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Thank you, Minerva. I will be joining you in a short while. Business here is almost done." With that the woman nodded to the aged wizard and gave the girl a final stare before passing through the doors once more. "These are all the basic things you will need to get through the year. You will have to purchase your own wand in the near future. It will also be paid for with the school provided money," he added seeing her panicked look.

"Why didn't she get it while she was there?" She mumbled scanning the small pile of objects at the foot of the closest bed. Dumbledore reached a hand over, grabbing the clothes.

"It is not up to a person to decided what wand you will have. The wand picks its owner. It sees what powers the individual holds and if they are worthy of itself. It is not as complicated as it sounds, Miss Simmons." He handed her the clothes. A black shabby cloak, a very large black shirt, and, to her great disgust, a black skirt. "The bathroom is over there," he said pointing to a door next to the nurse's office.

She nodded and walked over to the room. She quickly changed into the shirt and skirt, both of which were big all over. She looked at herself in a small mirror. It was horrible. The clothing hung off her shoulders and arms, and the sleeves drooped past her hands. Just when she thought that things might start looking up she had to look like a clown. With a sigh she threw the black cloak over her shoulders and slumped out of the door, holding the skirt up as she went.

When the old man saw her she could see that he was trying his hardest not to smile too big. His eyes gave away his hidden glee as they sparkled like mad. "Oh dear. She was right. They are quite big for you. I was never fond of going shopping, so I do not believe I grasped the eye for clothing. No matter." He rose from the seat and walked around her, sizing up the clothes and how much she was swimming in them.

"Yes," was his conclusion.

Of course yes they were big. Any idiot could have walked in here and told her that. The real answer she wanted was that she would need new ones. She waited as he drew out his wand. He moved his wand around in smooth motions and slowly the clothes started to shrink. Courtney's mouth hung open once again as she looked at her new, better suited, clothes.

"Yes, that is better. The final touch." He quickly grabbed a smaller pointed hat. It resembled Professor McGonagall's almost exactly.

Courtney could not help but wince as the old man raised the hat over her head. When she opened her eyes the man was beaming at her. "You look like a true witch, Miss Simmons. I don't see how you could have not received information about enrolling in a wizarding school." Courtney spotted a small mirror hanging to her right on the wall. She looked ridiculous in the pointed hat. The very tip dropped to one side. Little treads hung from the edges. There was no doubt as to whether it was already used.

"I will be sending a letter to your parents in America. I shall inform them of your…" He stopped and glanced at her.

Realization washed over her. "I think I will stay here. If…if that is alright."

He nodded and continued. "I shall inform them of your decision to stay here and start term, and that you are indeed in good hands. No doubt they have been worried. Running away is never a good idea, Miss Simmons. No matter what the situation may be. But to the rest."

Courtney hardly listened to what he said next. Her mind was too busy thinking of what might happen if they did find out. What would she do then? A sudden urge to tell the nice old man not to write the letter came over her.

"Your things, Miss Simmons." The man was holding out the large pot with its contents.

She held her tongue and took the heavy pot. "Thank you," she mumbled as she followed the man out of the hospital. The nurse came out fro her office just in time to scowl and give an irritated click with her tongue. Courtney was only too happy to be leaving the hospital.

To her great surprise she had not been transported to another building. It was just an off hallway from a larger hallway that had many other smaller hallways leading off of it. She was suddenly glad that she had a guide through the many ways. It baffled her how she had managed to escape last night. When in panic, don't think- act. That was probably the mode that had kicked in. _Actually_, she thought to herself, _it got me pretty far. _

The two made their way to the large doors that had been open the night before, filled inside with hundreds of people. Dumbledore stopped in front of her and turned around. "This is the Great Hall behind these doors. I am sure you have already had a glance at it, the previous night. If not you will in a moment. This is where you will be sorted into your house." He raised his hand when she started to say something. She immediately fell silent. "There are four houses. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. You will be sorted by the sorting hat. It is not a test of any sort. I do apologize that it will not be a normal ceremony. The other first years have already been sorted. I do hope you do not mind."

Courtney slowly shook her head. That was a lot to take in in a sort period of time. Something about houses, it was a test, she was not to have a normal ceremony? or was it a test? No it was not, he said so. And there were four houses. Are there actually different houses, as in buildings, that they went to? She felt her head start to ache. The large bump on the side of her head had gone down considerably but she had a feeling that the pain was still going to be there.

"Understand?" He asked looking down his crooked nose.

"Sure?"

That was enough of a confirmation to him for he turned to open the door.

"No, wait!" He turned with the smallest hint of a smile. "What am I suppose to do?"

Ah, yes? he nodded and folded his hands together in front of him. ?You are to simply follow me to the stool and I will place the hat on your head. After it places you in a house you are to go to that table and eat breakfast, if you wish. Leave your things here, they will be here when you are done eating.?

She did not know why but there was a large ball in the pit of her stomach that told her that this was not a good thing. _Nerves, it's just nerves_. But she hardly ever got nervous about anything. _This is different, this is a new place. A new country. There is room to be nervous this time. _

The doors opened and a room filled with many, many different faces came into view. All control she had built up crumbled. She stood stock still as it grew quiet and all eyes were on her and… Dumbledore was at least six feet ahead of her. Feeling all eyes on her like a burning furnace, she bowed her head and followed in his footsteps.

Thoughts of is this really worth it, should I just turn around right now, what will they think of me, raced through her head. Chatter could be heard as she passed the staring students. Some made confused and rude remarks to their neighbor. Others just watched in what seemed disgust. Her eyes left the piercing eyes of the students to look forward. It was not much better. The teachers looked as if they were in an official meeting and could not smile if they did not want to die. Her eyes met black, cold ones. They did not frighten her, instead they intrigued her. When she looked at the whole face her eyes fell. The man who had tried to desperately to stop her. He was scowling at her.

Dumbledore stopped and faced the entire room. She paused and looked up at him. He ignored her gaze and looked over the rest of the students. "I am terribly sorry to interrupt this breakfast, but I have an announcement. Yesterday's events did not go unmentioned, as I expected. As I have already informed you there is nothing to be worried about."

We have a new student that will be joining us this day. I do hope you will give her a warm welcome." He lowered his gaze and said so only she could hear, "Miss Simmons, please come forward to be sorted."

Courtney looked at the stool before her with a ratty old hat. She mused that it looked more worn than hers did and was glad of it. Removing her own hat she sat down on the stool. The old man placed the hat on her head, his smile slowly disappearing as the hat covered her eyes. She vaguely wondered if she was supposed to be looking at the inside of the black hat.

_Brilliant_, she thought to herself.

"Ah, Miss…Simmons, is it now? A very unique name. Did you pick it out yourself?"

Courtney sat in wonder. She thought this hat was supposed to be intelligent. Go figure.

_No, actually, where I come from, you get your name from your parents. If I'm not mistaken that is._

"So they haven't told you? Just as well, I suppose. Now, what house…" The hat trailed off mumbling to itself.

_Wait, who has not told me what?_

"What?" The hat asked in confusion. Now that she thought about it, it was a difficult question to understand. She was not sure she even understood her own question.

_What I meant was what is it that I…_

"It is not important at the moment," it snapped and began to calculate her standings. "You have the intelligence of a Ravenclaw, the cleverness of a Slytherin, the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and the amazing courage of Gryffindor. What a difficult child you are, indeed. Your past is shady, yes, very. Your power is… hmm… your power... What house to put you in? Your blood makes it complicated. Very difficult, you are."

_Umm…I'm sorry. I guess I could take that as a compliment though._

"Of Course it is a compliment! Very rarely do students posses all four qualities of the houses. Some posses two of the houses, very rarely do they posses three. You, my dear, are special! But two stand out more than others. Your parents' traits and those you have made yourself. I am uncertain which you most fit in."

_I don't mean to bug in, but what do you mean? My parents are… mug…maggles… they weren't wizards. I don't-_

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted so the entire room could hear.

The hat was lifted off her head before she could question it further. She got off the seat and walked over to the table Dumbledore had pointed to. There was a staggered applause from the teachers, no students were clapping however. An open seat was in the middle of an older looking guy and a girl that looked about her age. Without looking at either of them she sat down. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as the girl scooted towards her friend to her left with a disgusted look.

The older looking boy glared at her before slightly moving to his right. "Classes will start in a bit and I don't want to be late. Are you guys coming?" There was a rough, forced tone to his voice and he stood from his seat. His friends on the opposite side of the table followed suit and they walked out of the hall together.

Courtney looked at the mounds of food in front of her. Bacon, eggs that were pouched, scrambled, boiled, and sunny-side up, toast, and fruit of all sorts. Never in her life had she seen so much food in one place. Well, except the grocery store, but that didn't count.

She grabbed a piece of toast and nibbled at the corners. Across sat another table that laid parallel to the Gryffindor one. A small group of boys and a few girls were chatting loudly. Louder than they had to be, she was sure.

"It's disgusting! Letting random scum into the school, and then letting them stay here and learn. Next we will be letting muggle bums in to sleep and eat. This school has gone to the dumps. My father said it was never like this until Dumbledore…" The blonde-headed boy kept talking and the group around him seemed to be so absorbed in his lecture. He looked rich. Or to say that his parents were rich. His robes, though they were the same color, were made out of finer material than most of the students. He wore a silver ring that gleamed when the morning rays caught it. His platinum hair was slicked back in a ridiculous manner that also gave him a bit of an authority look.

Random scum… so that is what they had already put her as. She sighed deeply and nibbled more at her cold toast. This might not have been the brightest idea she had ever had.

Many more students were rising from there seat and filing out of the large room. Courtney avoided eye contact with the majority of them. She did dare a glare at the blonde boy as he walked by with two thug-looking boys. He paid her no attention and was on his way.

"Miss Simmons, you are to follow this young man to your room." The Headmaster had come up behind her. His smile was even greater than before, though she thought it was not possible. "There is no need for you to be in classes today. You have no wand and do not have your classes yet. That will all change by tomorrow. Professor McGonagall, who is now your head of house, has agreed to take you to get your wand in the morning. The afternoon classes will be a little rough, but I'm sure a bright girl like you can manage."

She looked at the student at his side. He had short red hair, and had a stern look. She tried to smile at him but found it useless. Dumbledore left to sit at the teacher's table and she followed the boy out of the Great Hall.

"Are these your things?" The boy asked as he rounded the corner and stepped on a book.

Courtney sighed. She knew it was a bad idea to leave her things unwatched. The large pot was now empty and the books were strewn around the large hall, some with ripped pages, and her vials still rolling across the floor. "Wonderful," she muttered as she bent down to pick up her stuff.

"My name is Percy, by the way. I'm Headboy. If you need anything let me know." He handed her a book that he had just repair with an air of superiority that did not fit his lanky frame. He hurried up the stairs after her when she did not reply. "You have been to the Gryffindor Tower before, then?"

Courtney shook her head, "Nope."

There was no other words spoken until they reached a portrait of a rather large lady. "This is the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. You have to give the Fat Lady a password. The Headboy, me," he puffed out his chest a little more, "will change it every week, or so. So keep an ear out."

He said the password, which was a little weird to her ears, and the picture swung open. It led to a high ceiling room with some red furniture, a few small tables, rugs, and a nice fireplace. It looked worn and old but it had a certain homey touch to it.

"Gryffindor Common Room. This is where you need to be when curfew starts. For you it is nine, by the way. The girls is that way, the boys is over there. The years are separated so you will only room with first years. You may unpack your things. Your trunk has already been brought up, I assume. I need to be to class." He turned and started out of the portrait hole. "Oh, and lunch is around eleven-thirty."

She waited until the door closed again before searching the rest of the room. It was different and would take some getting used to. She climbed the stairs to the girl's rooms to place her things. There was one empty bed covered in white sheets. The others she saw had an assortment of blankets on them. She assumed the owners had brought the blankets from home. Unfortunately she had brought nothing of the sort. _There has been worse times_, she thought as she neared the bed.

All the other beds had large black trunks at the end of the bed. They all had names or initials on them next to a crest. She set down her pot where her trunk was suppose to be. She squealed and jumped back. The bare bed was now covered in red blankets and had a fluffy pillow with a golden case on it.

"No, way," was all she could manage to speak. Reaching a hand out she touched the cover. It was real enough, soft and fluffy. A smile spread across her face. "That's what I'm talking about."

At half past eleven she started her walk down to the Great Hall. Students started to fill out of their classes as a bell sounded around the halls. Eyes again searched her before quickly averting to other people or the floor. The small ball in her stomach was back again. Looking at the dusty floor in front of her she sped up down the hall.

There was hardly any problem reaching the Great Hall. She only had to follow the voices that echoed down the stone hallways. She was not too sure she would be able to make her way back up to the Common Room though. She pushed the thought out of her mind. It was time for food, which was one of her favorite times.

Lunch did not bring any major occurrences. There were more people that now avoiding her entirely instead of staring and whispering to their neighbor. As the students dwindled out more and headed to their next destination she sat and watched. There was really nothing else to do. What would she be doing on a normal day? Reading, school, talking to _her_ friends, running around causing any sort of trouble. She smiled to herself as fond memories seeped into her thoughts.

"Miss Simmons?"

Courtney spun around. The old woman that had purchased her school supplies earlier was standing behind her, she wore a business-like look.

"I will meet you in the Entrance Hall in the morning after breakfast. I do count on you to be prompt, I do not accept tardiness. We will shop for your wand and be back before lunch. Is that clear?" She waited for the girl to nod. When she had gotten her desired response she too nodded with a thin mouth. "I would also like to tell you that you are to not go into the forest for any reason, the third floor corridor is off-limits to everyone, and no wondering around after hours. You may leave when you have finished."

Courtney watched the woman leave the hall through the large doors. She looked around at the suddenly quiet room. Her heart sank. She was the only person in the room. The food on the Gryffindor table still sat in its place, though the rest of the students' plates had disappeared. She grabbed two slices of bread and stuffed some sliced chicken in between them. Getting from the table she headed to the doors. Thinking better of the situation she grabbed a handful of grapes.

There was absolutely nothing to keep her wandering mind occupied in the Common Room or in her room. Her back-pack was still unpacked and sat at the edge of her bed with her large pot. She reached down and grabbed at the pack, pulling it open to search through. If there was one thing that could keep her occupied and happy it was her music. Not only did she enjoy listening to good music she also enjoyed playing.

She smiled when she found her CD player at the bottom of her pack. Placing the earphones over her head she pressed the 'play' button. It did nothing. She had put fresh batteries in before leaving her house, she had made sure of it. No matter, she had packed extras. Fidgeting with the plastic wrapping that made it almost impossible for anyone to open she wondered why in the hell they were made like they were. It was almost like the manufacture did not want people to buy or open their products. She finally got it open after having a plastic edge cut her finger. Taking out the old batteries she placed in the new ones, taking extra care to check it was in the right way. Again, it did nothing.

"You frippin piece... little..." she struggled and pressed the 'play' button harder. With all her might, and frustration, she threw the electronic "piece of crap" on her bed, and huffed. She defiantly had a few choice words for the battery company. There was no telling how long she would have to wait to get batteries in this place.

_Prompt. Must be prompt, _Courtney kept her eyes ahead of her watching the hallway. When a student or teacher happened to turn the corner she would quickly look at the floor. _No sense in having to look at their sour faces, _she thought as she looked at the floor for what seemed the hundredth time that morning. She had already gotten up for an early breakfast and noticed that she had not grabbed her black cloak. Though she was not accustom to the wizard apparel she assumed that they wore it as a replacement of a coat or jacket.

She heaved a sigh of relief when nobody was in the Entrance Hall. So she was not late, that was always good. She walked over to the large entrance doors and stood to wait. She heard voices coming from a stone stairway that led farther down. She assumed it was a basement of some sort. The blonde-haired boy appeared with his thug friends as his shadow. A girl with sandy blonde hair was at his side.

"Amazing what they let wander around the castle. Large rats in rubbish clothing." He did not even bother to look at her this time. The entire group surrounding him burst into laughter. A group not far behind also chuckled as they passed.

_Damn... that kid has skills. A jerk, comedian, and a pimp all in one. And he even has a little whor-_

"I'm glad to see you ready, Miss Simmons."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the cheery voice of Professor McGonagall. She only smile half-heartedly.

"That is ten points to Gryffindor, for promptness." A few red stones fell into a giant hourglass looking thing at her side. At the bottom she spotted a golden plaque that read 'Gryffindor'. "House points are to be awarded to those who do good for their house and themselves. If there is any rule breaking or misbehaving there will be points taken away. At the end of the year there is a counting to see who wins the House Cup. I do wish we win it this year."

Courtney followed the old woman up the corridors and stairs. Was there really any point in gettin her cloak or walking all the way down the stairs? She had basically just retraced her steps. She grumbled inwardly. They stopped in front of a large statue of a bird, or Gryphon, she thought.

"Fizz Pops."

The statue shift to one side and revealed a set of stairs. With a sigh she followed the woman up _more _stairs.The professor knocked on the door before entering. Courtney had never been to this part of the castle before. She doubted she would have found it on her own either.

In front of her sat Headmaster Dumbledore behind a large desk. He wore his smile as he looked at her. "Morning, Miss Simmons. Did you sleep well in these new accommodations?"

She nodded her head slowly, giving Professor McGonagall a side glance. "Yeah..."

"We are off to get her a wand, Albus. Please do remember that even though it is the second day I still expect my students to learn something while in class." Her tone was again business-like and so was her stand.

Dumbledore raised a worn hand and nodded. "And so do I Minerva. I have everything taken care of. Don't worry, there is no need to."

The woman shoved some ashes into her hand and stood in front of the fireplace. After a moment of silence that involved staring at the pile of ash in her hands then to the woman, she opened her mouth.

"How foolish of me. This is floo-powder, Miss Simmons. It is used to transport from one fireplace to another. Simply step into this fireplace and say where you wish to go. You may feel dizzy for the first time." The woman ushered her into the dirty fireplace. She nodded when she had placed her just right. In other words, she had to dip her head to one side as not to hit it on the stone and had soot in her hair and on her nose. "Say Diagonally."

Seeing that the situation could not get any worse she followed orders. Instantly she wished she had not. Once she had dropped the ash she felt her stomach lurch as if on a large roller-coaster. Not that she hated roller-coasters. She felt her feet hit and her stomach seemed to have reached the bottom of the hill right before coasting up another, larger one. She squealed with delight. It was like having a smaller roller-coaster at home... of course that only lasted one hill, and about five seconds.

The old witch landed at her side within seconds. They were in a store of sorts that had many shelves that held many, many small boxes. They were both covered in soot but stepped out of the fireplace with dignity. A man rushed around the corner. Courtney heard herself gasp at his sudden appearance and felt stupid after realizing that it was only a man.

"Minerva, how are you this fine morning? And who is this?" The man looked at her with shimmering blue eyes. They were abnormally light and almost seemed like a haze around a full moon. She could feel small goose bumps rise on her arms.

"This is Courtney Simmons. An..." She paused and looked at her with a stern look. "Exchange student from America. She needs a wand, Mr. Ollivanders. I am sure you can help us there."

"Miss Simmons? How very nice to meet you," the man took her hand and gave it a light peck. She wondered if any other person would be freaked out. She gave him a forced smile and gently but forcefully pulled her hand back.

"Yes, a wand. Of course. This way." She stood still as the man took measurements of her arm, and other sorts of funny things. He seemed more focused as he searched through the piles and piles of wand boxes. He pulled off several from the shelf. "This one might work well." He handed her a whitish colored wand and instructed her to wave it around.

She bit her bottom lip and feared the worse. She waved the wand around in a circle. She sighed in relief. Nothing. A loud crash erupted behind the counter. Boxes flew off their selves and onto other selves and the floor. Courtney quietly apologized and placed the wand on the counterShe was forced to try yet another wand. This time it did not cause nearly as much noise or clutter. The man seemed to be getting irritated with her.

"You know..." he said more to himself than anyone else. "You do look awfully like..._" _He shook his head and grabbed another box. "Try this one."

She grasped the wand and waved it again. Nothing. She quickly dropped it onto the counter as if was infected with some disease. Still nothing. A low hissing sound started to come from inside the wand. A silver smoke streamed from the tip and lingered in a circular cloud above the counter.

"Ah, just as I thought. This seems to be your wand, Miss Simmons."He placed the wand in its box with a smile of victory. "Do take good care of this. It is a fine wand, not too powerful, but I expect that the power will come more from the holder not the wand itself. You two ladies have a nice day."

They Floo-ed back to Hogwarts just in time to head to lunch. Headmaster Dumbledore was walking into his office when they stepped out of the fireplace. He smiled at them. "I thought you were back. I expect you found the right one? May I have a look?"

Courtney took out her wand and showed it to him. He picked it up and held it closer to his face, inspecting it closely. He handed it back with a knowing look and a twinkle in his eye.

"Holly, twelve inches, and I do believe that is a unique hair inside that wand. Not one used anymore. They have had faults and were said to be unfavorable. I thought they were all gone myself. Must be one of the last remaining. It is a wonderful wand, it suits you well." A bell rang throughout the school. "Ah, it is that wonderful time again. Shall I accompany you two ladies to the Great Hall?"

The three of them walked down to the Great Hall together. Dumbledore was discussing the small town that they had visited. He obviously had a sweet tooth for he was pointing out the best sweet shops and what was the best sweets in the shops. He opened the door for them with a smile. "Though I would be wary of the Every Flavored Beans from that shop. They seem to have plenty of odd flavors in the packages, or so I have heard."

Courtney could hardly sit still through lunch. She was both nervous and eager for her upcoming classes after lunch. She had checked her schedule several times. There was first Potions then Charms. She had never heard anything about either of them but had a good feeling about both of them. Putting her schedule back in her bag she poked at her food.

A boy with red hair stared at her as she poked and slowly ate. He probably had no idea that she could still see him through her curtain of hair that hung in front of her right eye. He stopped looking and turned to talk to a boy with black messy hair and glasses. They both seemed excited about something called Quidditch. She had no idea what it was and could hardly care at the moment. She was more concerned about her performance in her classes. Would she make a complete fool of herself in front of everyone... again? It really didn't matter. She already had no friends and was receiving rude comments as it was.

She sat in the back of the classroom and watched as the other students talked and looked around the room. The teacher was still not in the room. It was not quite time for class to start either. She had set out her potions book, wand, feather, and paper. She was still unsure as to how to use the quill. She had seen plenty of movies where they used a quill, she had even tried to make one herself with a feather she had found on the street. It had not worked of course.

A loud bang made her jump. A man with black long hair and pale skin walked in. He was in all black clothes that swept behind him. He did not look like a very happy person. She noticed that the room had went dead silent. She had the sudden urge to shout, burp, or make some obscene noise to see what would happen. She smiled to herself at the possibilities and sat still.

The man began to start a speech that sounded like it had been rehearsed a dozen times in front of a mirror. He prowled around the room in a manor of almost having a staring contest with each student. His stare lightened ever so slightly as he reached the blonde boy from Slytherin. It returned more powerful when he... saw her? Well she had not wanted to be hit over the head with a pot. His gaze past her and turned full force on a small, chubby boy. He cowered in his seat and looked down at his desk. The man smirked to himself and continued his prowl.

"Potter!" The dungeon rang with the professor's angry voice. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" His dark eyes bore into the boy with messy black hair. The boy only looked at his friend with red hair who was equally confused. A girl with frizzy brown hair was the only one who seemed to know the answer. The entire class looked stumped, or like they did not care.

He drilled Potter with more questions that he was incapable of answering. Again the girl with brown hair had her hand in the air, waving it frantically. Professor Snape ignored her though. It seemed that his whole purpose in having this class was to drill this single student until they started to go insane. He kept his glare hooked on the boy.

"So what. He doesn't know a few answers," she mumbled to herself. A few heads turned to look at her. Obviously she had said it a little too loud. Not only did some students notice but that horrible glare of black pits was now fixed on her.

"Alright, Miss Simmons. Tell me, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" He had moved around the boys' desk and was slowly walking to her's in the back.

Courtney sat in silence. Why did she have to open her fat mouth? The one time she had to speak up...

"No? Well maybe you can join Potter in detention and-"

"Nothing..." she mumbled at last, surprising herself.

"What did you say to me!" His voice rose to a shout even though he was right in front of her desk. "Are you refusing orders from a teacher? I do not know what they taught you at the school you went to in _that_ country. We here at Hogwarts do not allow cheek from students." He leaned forward with a sneer on his face so he was hardly a foot away.

"There is no difference. It's the same plant." She watched as the face of the professor changed from rage to mild surprise and then back to a contorted face. No one in their right mind would come to a class unprepared. She had at least taken the time to read some pages of her potions book. She was not so stupid.

The man rose and stalked forward to the front of the class. "Why are you not copying that down? A point away from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter. And your cheek also cost Gryffindor a point, Miss Simmons. Your answering to a basic question is not an excuse." The man sat at his desk and started to lecture about basic potion ingredients. They were then set in pairs to brew a basic potion. Courtney had no partner seeing that there was an odd number.

"I trust you will have no problem. A special student like yourself." His sarcasm was almost unbearable.

Courtney quickly grabbed her supplies from the cupboard and started. It was the most fowl smelling thing that she had ever had the misfortune of meeting. It looked an odd color as well. Harry and Ron's potion was a different color. She was sure that her's was not suppose to be so thick or purplish-blue.

Snape was quickly becoming her least favorite teacher. Which was saying something since he was the first teacher she had had yet. She only hopped that the rest were not as bad or she might want to leave. He swept through the desks and looked at the products in the cauldrons. He stopped at hers. His eyes looked at the liquid then at her. She looked at her cauldron.

"Hardly acceptable. A waste of ingredients." He moved onto the next student without another word.

Hardly acceptable? So it was somewhat acceptable? She thought about doing a football (American Style) victory dance right there and then. She peered around the room and thought better of it. Instead she did a little jig with her fingers. It was good enough she concluded. Her spirits were high when she left the smokey dungeon. Her first potion had been somewhat of a good concoction.

Unfortunately her charms class did not end in such a manor. The teacher as she found out was considerably nicer and more understanding than Snape. She had had very little success with her levitating charm. It seemed simple enough to lift a feather off the desk. With a wand it was an entirely different story, however.

The brown-haired witch that seemed to be an answer box in potions had made her feather levitate several feet above her head. She was the only one, so Courtney tried not feel bad. It was alright until the girl had watched her attempt it for the tenth time.

"You are saying it right. I don't see why it isn't working."

"New wand..." Courtney mumbled and trailed off as she tried again. The feather sat quite still in front of her, mocking her.

"Well, it doesn't matter. It's not the wand, it's the one using it. There is nothing wrong with it."

Courtney stopped looking at the feather and glared at the girl. She did not seem to notice the sudden change of her attitude as she smiled and tried to levitated two feathers. She more than likely would have succeeded had Courtney not "accidentally" flicked her wand at the feathers and caused them to burst into flames. If there was one thing that the wand would do than she would use it.

With a heavy heart she headed to the Common Room to take a shower. She would go down for a quick, quiet, non-sociable dinner afterwards. She still had homework to catch up on and books to read before her classes tomorrow. She wanted to try the levitating charm again, and maybe another few charms. She would not mind looking ahead in her transfiguration book either. It sounded interesting anyway. She sighed as she dropped her bag on her bed. It looked like it would be a long night.

_**All sone with a sort of long chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Well I stayed up until two in the morning so it better be good! Thank you all for reading! Please leave a review! Loves Yous!**_


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